


Tangled Web

by Tanaqui



Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: Community: fic_promptly, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 04:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3161795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanaqui/pseuds/Tanaqui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where did Tara get her plan to ensure Gemma would never get custody of her children?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tangled Web

**Author's Note:**

> Written to fill the fic-promptly prompt [Any, Any, harm reduction](http://fic-promptly.dreamwidth.org/302923.html?thread=11007051#cmt11007051). Thanks to Scribbler for the beta.

"We may get some trouble from the Hospital Board about keeping you on while you're under investigation," Margaret warned, as she watched Tara sign the various forms and statements for HR, "but I'll make sure they're fully aware of your record as a surgeon—and how much money you pull in for St Thomas."

Tara lifted her head and gave Margaret an anxious smile as she put her signature on the last document and pushed the papers back across the table. "Thank you."

Margaret tapped the documents together, wondering if keeping Tara on was such a good idea after all. For Tara as well as the hospital. "And how are _you_ doing?" she asked impulsively, before Tara could get up.

Tara shot her a startled look. "I'm fine." She huffed a laugh. "A few sleepless nights." Not that Margaret wouldn't have been able to tell that herself from the dark circles under Tara's eyes; even carefully applied foundation couldn't quite hide them. "Not so much for me but... I'm worried about Gemma getting hold of the kids if I end up inside. They do _not_ need their grandmother's influence in their lives."

Margaret tucked the papers into a folder. "Can't you put some kind of custody arrangement in place for someone else to take care of them?"

Tara snorted. "Like a piece of paper is going to stop that woman. Or anything, short of her being locked up herself."

Margaret nodded. In her few dealings with Gemma Teller-Morrow, she'd come to the conclusion the woman was a force of nature and a law unto herself. If she wanted Tara's children—and Margaret was pretty sure she would—she'd bully and browbeat her way into having them.

oOo

Margaret rapped on the half-open door to Tara's office. "Dr Knowles? May I have a word before you leave?"

Tara looked up from packing her bag. "Of course."

Margaret stepped inside and closed the door, leaning back against it. "I've been thinking about what you said. About wanting to keep your children out of their grandmother's custody."

"Yes?" Tara looked up at her, a brief flare of hope on her face that was quickly replaced by a frown.

"Back before... when I was younger...." Margaret unconsciously lifted a hand and gestured over her shoulder, toward her own back, toward the reminder on her skin of how she'd once been young and foolish, and how far she'd come and what a success she'd made of her life since then. Tara nodded to show she understood what Margaret meant and Margaret went on, "I had a friend once. Had a problem a bit like yours. Except she didn't want her own mother getting custody of her kids because her stepfather.... Well, she knew what he could do first hand, and she didn't want her daughters anywhere near him. But mom wasn't willing to listen—never had been—or willing to let go. So she came up with a plan that meant no judge in his right mind would give her mom custody of her kids...."


End file.
